Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Connecting the Dots/Cigarette Tax to Abortion & Planned Parenthood

1. The Governor's cigarette tax will be used to leverage more Medicaid money. "That money combined with federal matching funds would mean a total of $178 million in 2010."

"Malone spoke after a two hour presentation by Thompson in which they shed more light on Beebe's health plan, which the governor has proposed be funded by tax increases on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. That money combined with federal matching funds would mean a total of $178 million in 2010." http://www.nwanews.com/adg/National/249502/ [$178 million taken from taxpayers and put into government bureaucracy instead of the private sector – not too stimulating to the economy]

2. Twenty-Seven states have asked for and received waivers to use Medicaid money for family planning – Arkansas is one of those states. Medicaid is now the largest single program providing taxpayer money for Planned Parenthood, which is the number one abortion provider. Once we accept Medicaid dollars for a program, the Feds sets the standards; we can't pick and choose without their consent. Obama, Pelosi and the Washington Democrats will set the standards for Medicaid. Medicaid already mandates abortion funding in cases of rape or incest or when pregnant woman's life is endangered. http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_SMFPE.pdf

There is a push now to repeal the Hyde Amendment. An ACLU article reads, "Passed by Congress in 1976, the Hyde Amendment excludes abortion from the comprehensive health care services provided to low-income people by the federal government through Medicaid. Congress has made some exceptions to the funding ban, which have varied over the years. At present, the federal Medicaid program mandates abortion funding in cases of rape or incest, as well as when a pregnant woman's life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury." The article goes on to say the Hyde amendment is discriminatory.http://www.aclu.org/reproductiverights/lowincome/16393res20040721.html

"The Medicaid program was never intended to pay for family planning services. Yet, beginning in the 1990s, states started applying for Medicaid waivers to allow them to add family planning for Medicaid-eligible recipients. Because of the waivers, Medicaid is now the largest single program providing taxpayer money for Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood performs the majority of abortions in the United States and has been accused in multiple states of crimes such as forgery, fraud, doing illegal late-term abortions, and covering up statutory rape." http://www.stopp.org/agenda/prevention.php

Planned Parenthood rejects abstinence education. I am now researching the extent of Planned Parenthood in Arkansas. I have learned that Planned Parenthood will be doing comprehensive sex education for middle and high school students in Hot Springs and Little Rock this fall. I don't know if these are school based health clinics conducting these or how they are funded. . http://www.plannedparenthood.org/arkansas-eastern-oklahoma/

3. Family planning and abortion have often been referred to as "health care" and "health issues." Therefore, the cigarette tax money could well be spent on Planned Parenthood type programs and count toward keeping the Governor's promise to spend the tax money on health programs.

"Beebe said he believes the money will help provide the "basic fundamentals of health care" throughout the state to low-income people who use community health centers and other programs in the plan. Beebe also said, "It is a comprehensive package."http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/250694/

4. $87 billion package of the proposed US stimulus bill [more than 10%] was set aside to help states with Medicaid costs that would allow states to expand their family planning services. [That indicates how important "family planning" and funded abortions are to the President and Washington Democrats and how much money will be going to Planned Parenthood.]

1 Comments:

This Freedom of Choice Act which Obama co-sponsored in 2007 would “if passed, invalidate every restriction on an abortion before the stage of viability, in every state, even those previously found consistent with Roe v. Wade by the United States Supreme Court, such as parental notification laws, waiting periods, and the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. It prohibits a federal, state, or local governmental entity from denying or interfering with a woman's right to exercise such choices; or discriminating against the exercise of those rights in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information. Provides that such prohibition shall apply retroactively. (Emphasis added.)

With the Democratic Congress it appears Obama could get it passed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_Choice_Act See this link for wording of the bill: http://www.stopp.org/agenda/foca.php

7. Speaker Polosi made headlines recently with her quote on the importance of "family planning" being a part of the stimulus package.

"STEPHANOPOULOS: Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand family planning services. How is that stimulus?

"PELOSI: Well, the family planning services reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children's health... [is] to help the states meet their financial needs. [O]ne of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.

8. There is no restriction in the language of the bill as to what sort of "health care" the money will be spent on, nor even technically speaking, limiting expenditures to health care.

Don't be fooled by promises or assurances from the Governor or anyone else. The facts are the facts. The Democrats are in control so Obama, Pelosi and the Washington Democrats will control the standards for Medicaid health programs, not Arkansas.

There is no way the Governor or anyone else can assure you (even if they believe it in their heart or have no intention of deceiving anyone) that some of the cigarette tax won't be used for family planning, Planned Parenthood programs, and/or other services such as abortion with which the majority of Arkansans disagree. I don't see how one can be pro-life and not vote against this cigarette tax bill.